It has long been recognized that the tying of knots under adverse conditions including physical handicaps and failing eyesight often results in a poorly tied knot which results in an unsatisfactory securement. This knot tying problem is particularly true in activities such as fishing, wherein the knots are often secured while the person tying the knots is in a boat which is not stable, and the weather conditions may be adverse, including the fact that it could be cold, causing the user's fingers to be numb as well as the filament to be less flexible than might be expected.
Numerous prior art attempts have been made to resolve the dilemma of tying fishing knots in adverse conditions and yet resulting in a secure knot such that in a fishing activity, a prize catch or favorite lure will not be lost. No attempt has been made to solve the knot-tying problems of super lines and super braids. Super braids made of space age fibers have a slick surface, making the tying of conventional knots nearly impossible.
Prior art known to the inventor includes:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,858 granted to Smith, Jr. Aug. 14, 1956, discloses a knot tying tool which includes a first end for tying slipknots and incorporates a groove for holding a hook during the tying process and a groove through which the free end of the leader or the like may be fed to complete the knot and a second end including one or more portions having differing radii for tying fixed-loop or slip-type fastening elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,926,036 granted to Wimberley, Feb. 23, 1960, is a multi-part tying tool including such things as fish scalers, screw drivers and a sharp cutting edge.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,992,029 granted to Russell, Jul. 11, 1961, discloses a snelling tool for fish hooks wherein a standard key blank is somewhat modified and used for snelling a fish hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,131,957 granted to Musto, May 5, 1964, discloses a multi-part cylindrical element through which the leader is fed to assist in the tying of leaders and lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,021 granted to Benham, Apr. 6, 1965, discloses a two-part knot tying device wherein the first part is secured over the user's finger and the second part, which is a cylindrical split element, utilizes its forward end to secure the hook during the tying operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,402,957 granted to Peterson, Sep. 24, 1968, discloses a fish hook threading and tying device including a light and a portion for securing the fish hook during the tying process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,555 granted to Newlin, Dec. 28, 1971, discloses a knot tying device having a relatively flat, thin element including a slot having a cutting edge for cutting the leader and a cylindrical portion having bores therethrough for assisting in the knot tying.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,651 granted to Shockley, Jan. 23, 1973, discloses a knot tying device including spring-loaded clamping means for securing a fish hook in place during the knot tying process, and further including a cylindrical tube and a telescopically received rod for pulling the free end of the line through the loops.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,140 granted to Bloch, Mar. 25, 1975, discloses a fish hook holder and knot tying device including means to pierce the end of the leader allowing a barbed eyelet to be inserted within the end and three adjacent tying fingers extending from one end of the knot tying device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,152 granted to Gardipee, Jul. 18, 1978, discloses a relatively rectangular knot tying jig which is used primarily for a fisherman's slipknot to secure a line to hooks, swivels and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,797 granted to Ragland, Jr., Sep. 13, 1983, discloses a fishing line/knot tying tool configured like a fish and including an outwardly projecting tube to capture and shield the barbed end of a hook and including a laterally extending portion to grip the leader.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,554 granted to Janssen et al, Feb. 25, 1986, discloses a knot tying tool which is in reality a pair of identical tools which are used in symmetrical juxtaposition to form a barrel knot joining two fishing lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,613,173 granted to Rosser, Sep. 23, 1986, discloses a knot tying jig comprising a flat main body element which includes an offset through which a U-shaped bale is extended and includes a clamp to hold the fish hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,833 granted to Wardall, Jun. 4, 1981, discloses an accessory tool for anglers which combines a plurality of tools and functions within one instrument, thereby theoretically eliminating the clutter usually found in a fisherman's gear.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,232 granted to Broberg, Aug. 17, 1993, discloses a knot tying device which permits the formation of slip bobber knots for use with slip bobbers or floats for fishing and includes a knot support member having two axially directed bores extending therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,137 granted to Wardall, Mar. 24, 1992, discloses a device for facilitating knots in the shape of an elongated rectangle having a hole through one end portion and a forked portion at the opposite end, and including very specific dimensions.